A New Life
by Nashog
Summary: This is the beginning of a series I am writing. It takes place after the last book. This is the story of two peregrin falcons as they defend the tree and all the kingdom's of owls. This is just the beginning of the story and I may come back to this later since the sequel takes place several years after this one.
1. Chapter 1

The bird flew through the night the wind and rain blinding him. He should really land but he figured he could handle this storm. He wished he could see the stars so he could navigate. He wished he could see a nice plump robin or some other bird like that so he could eat. For he was a peregrin falcon and other birds where his main diet. Then a harsh wind blew him towards the sea. He saw the waves coming toward him he thought he was over land not water

"So much for landing" he said to himself and pulled up hard avoiding the waves by no more than a foot.

Then as he glanced back a wave came up and slapped him in the face and knocked him out.

Many hours later the storm had more or less cleared up and two young owls had been doing a flintmop for about a ten minutes or so and where already a bit fed up with this and had decided not to say racdrops in the dining hollow again. Soren had been watching them since there was a chance that one of his weather experiments might have washed up during the storm and since they had built up a good pile of dead fish and pellets that owls had yapped up over the sea as they where flying over the sea he was about to have them start carrying back the pile. That was when one owls pecked a pile of seaweed and had a beak come up out of the pile and grab him by the leg. He pulled away hard having a slight gash appear on his leg.

He yelled "ow that really hurts ow ow ow."

Soren grabbed onto the seaweed and yanked it off. Underneath was a bird he did not recognize what type of bird it was but it was clearly half dead. The bird then passed out as he tried to move the rest of the debris off him.

"Carefull we will take care of you don't worry about anything."

He then yelled at the owls who where staying a few feet away from him.

"Quick get to the tree and get Matron tell them to bring a stretcher."

They flew off as quickly as possible.

A couple minutes later the bird was in sickbay being looked after by Matron. Matron said to Soren that the bird should be ok but had to stay rested and in bed for at least a week and possibly more. Then the bird woke up.

"What what is going on where am I."

"There there" Matron said" you are in the Great Gahoole Tree and you are going to be fine."

"What happened I remember a downdraft that forced me above the waves and then a sudden blackness."

Soren said "It must have been a wave that hit you and knocked you out. Then you must have washed up on shore."

"I'm hungry" the bird said "Have you got anything to eat."

"Of course" Matron said "I shall also have some milkberry tea sent to you as well."

"Thank you" the bird said "So I suppose you want to know where I come from and what species I am."

"That would be nice to know yes." Soren said.

"Very well I am a peregrin falcon, Falco peregrinus. My name is Bloodbeak and this is going to shock you and I hope you don't kick me out for this I mainly eat other birds."

Soren gave a shutter and wilfed a bit at this but gestured with his wing to continue so Bloodbeak did.

"Well I don't hunt owls so don't worry our hunting habits don't match up to when you are out. Even if I did we would prefer not to since you are fierce fighters and it would not be a good idea to tangle with you. Anyway my species wanders around we don't have any king or kingdom like you owls we are most often loners. My story is more or less I was wandering about not really caring much when I ran into this storm so I figured I could fly it since it seemed to be a minor one but no it was harsh and I had a hard time flying it. I ended up being forced down by a downdraft and ended up getting knocked put by the waves an you know the rest."

Soren consider all this for a moment and then said "Well you are welcome to stay as long as it takes you to heal but for staying after since like you said you do eat other birds and therefore the parliament will have to decide whether or not you can stay longer if you want since you could become a valuable member of the tree if you decided to stay. But by no means do you have to."

"Thanks" Bloodbeak said "I will have to think about it."

Then Matron arrived with roasted squirrel and steaming milkberry tea. It looked good and Bloodbeak tore into it as fast as politeness would allow. Later he managed to fall asleep after having his cup of milkberry tea.

Otulissa was doing research on the guest that had arrived. So he was a falcon where was that book she had on birds of prey. The book had been written so long ago that the name of the author had been rubbed off. Ah there it was on the top shelf. Lets see peregrin the bird that had come in had been called. Ah there is the chapter.

"The peregrin falcon is a bird of prey that has a main diet of other birds. They are known to be fierce fighters and in a dive can reach over 200 miles per hour. They are over all a species that has a high value of honor and are known to fight to the death if there honor is insulted. They most often are loners and rarely settle down in one place except to mate. When they make friends they are loyal to them like no other bird." So we have ourselves a interesting type of bird. Time to tell the parliament what I found.

"So" Soren said to the parliament "we have ourselves a interesting situation we have a bird that is clearly dangerous but I do not believe he will hurt us. He seems honorable enough but we can't get past the fact he hunts and eats other birds. We have to vote whether or not he can stay. All in favor raise a wing. Thank you put your wings down. All not in favor raise a wing. Thank you so we have it he can stay we. We will have to get him his own hollow he is taking up space in the infirmary and we may need that space later on."

"The hollow next to mine is free and has been cleaned recently". Outlissa said.

"Thank you Outlissa now that that issue has been cleared up I believe we are done here."

Bloodbeak looked around at the hollow that was quite unlike the nest he had been born it but it should be fine. It had been a week since he had arrived at the great tree and he was surprised at how the tree had so many things he had never even dreamed about. Now what to do it was midday and he was not tired he was supposed to be up at this time anyway he wasn't a owl who was up at night no he was a day bird. Well he figured might as well go for a quick flight around the island. He took off through the sky port it was good to be in the air again. Matron had all but banned him from going on flights saying he had to rest and heal. He was feeling much better now and had to fly again. He was climbing altitude infill he was far above the ground. The air felt good on his face and wings. He looked below scanning to see if he could see anything. Wait what was that out of the corner of his eye he say something that could only be a bird beneath him. He looked again yes there it was a owl. He dove down going into a classic kill dive hitting well over 50 miles per hour. He pulled up so he was right next to the owl. The owl startled went yep and started to plummet to the ground. He dove after him grabbing him gently yet firmly he set him down on the ground before landing next to him.

"Sorry about that doesn't mean to scare you."

"Where did you come from I didn't see you until you where where right next to me" the owl said.

"Sorry about that I was wondering what you where doing up at this hour. I thought I would be the only one up except for the day guards."

"Its fine I was just bring some news to the parliament and was just not wanting to waste time since I am already running late" the owl said.

"Well I can escort you back I was going to head back soon anyway."


	2. Chapter 2

When they arrived back at the tree one of the day guards let them through. They went separate ways then both heading to separate hollows. Once Bloodbeak had gotten back he went to sleep for the hour or so in until tweentime. He didn't need much sleep but there was nothing else to do. At tweentime he got something to eat in the dining hollow then went over to Soren.

"Could I maybe ask you for something your majesty."

"Please don't call me your majesty Soren is fine."

"Ok then Soren I was wondering if I can maybe join the day guard. It is something I think I can do very well."

Soren considered this for a moment and then said "It would be unusual since normally you have to train to get used to being up during the day and getting little sleep but that wouldn't be a issue for you. Also normally we only allow those who have been in a chore for a long time. But I suppose we can have you do a trial of some sort to test out how well you will do at it."

"Thank you can we maybe do it tonight since I have nothing else to do right now."

"Very well we might as well do it now there isn't any chore practices scheduled tonight."

"Thank you I was really needing something to do" he said.

As they left the dining hollow there was a faint clatter that Bloodbeak didn't hear but Soren did. He spun his head around looking for where it came from. No nothing everything seemed normal. He headed after Bloodbeak who was waiting for him.

He dived towards the owl that was heading toward the tree. It was blending in with the ground below but his sharp eyes saw the movement of the the owls wings. He pulled up just above the owl making sure his raking talons missed the owl by a few inches. He then went up then around the looping around the owl locking his talons with the owls and forced the owl more or less gently to the ground. He then helped the bird up and proceed to make sure he was ok.

"Wow where did you come from no one has beaten me yet" Twilight said.

"I dived on you the first blow alone would have been enough to kill you but I could have always forced you down" Bloodbeak said.

The training was going very well. He already had gotten through most of the tests to see if he would be good for the day guards. He was definitely going to be in the day guards he had no doubt about that. It was funny the owls where normally assigned so they stayed close to the tree not up above watching everything going on. He supposed it was because they didn't have the same eyesight as he did during the day. He had already been told after the second test he had to take which was for surveillance that if he did well in the test he had just done he would definitely be assigned to do a overhead surveillance of the tree watching for any owls coming in and reporting them before they reached the tree.  
He knew the next test he would take would be the easiest they had to see how fast it would take him to get to the tree and report in.

A little later after a break and to get something to drink since it was a hot summer's evening he took off winging his way towards the position he would normally take if he got in. The area was high over the tree so he could get the best view of the area. Once he got there he looked down waiting for the signal. There a bright flashing. He dived toward it. He started to fold his wings in so he could go faster. He was hitting incredible speeds easily over 170 miles per hour. He waited a second more than began pulling up. He landed gently on a limb of the great gahoole tree and looked at the shocked expressions of the owls.

"What did I do something wrong."

"No, no you could not have done better" one of the owls said.

"I have never seen anything go so fast, or heard of anything go that fast" Soren said.

"I could have gone faster if I had a bit more altitude."

"Well now we know for certain you will be perfect for this. No owl has been able to do as well as you in this work. I am making a decision as king to make you a member of the day guards. You are not a guardian of gahoole and it has never happened before that anyone who is not a guardian has become a guard but I believe it will be fine. Now we have to have you join a chaw other wise you can't be a day guard it is one of the requirements but you may as well start tomorrow on your new job. Good luck and serve this great tree well."

The next day at the break of dawn he got up and went out side to report in and go to his main position. He reported in and flew up now time to settle in for a long day. A couple hours later he was getting bored he wished he had brought a mouse or something to snack on. It would not have lasted long however for a bird who normally a good sized duck was a good meal or normally one or two plump wood pigeons. He did a few practice swoops to keep himself entertained but of course keeping a good eye on things. Nothing would slip through his watch. He noticed something a half hour later. One of the guards that normally would be patrolling this side of the tree right now was missing. Concerned he did one quick sweep around the area before diving down to the tree to see where that guard had gone. He went to where the guard would normally be but failing to get any sign of where he had gone he started to fly around where he was normally. After finding no sign of him he started listening at the hollows he passed to hear if there was anything other than than the normal sounds of sleep from the hollows. Finding nothing he made a beeline to the hollow where the day guards are supposed to go to report in if something is wrong. He looked into the hollow and was shocked by what he saw. The guard was clearly sleeping. He could not allow that. He jumped on him tackling him to the ground. His talons pressed hard against the owls wings. Then doing the alarm call of a peregrin a loud slow scolding rehk, rehk, rehk, which would have the the other guards come to see what was going on.

He then said "You should not have abandoned your post it is not a good idea to leave the tree unguarded."

"Let me go" the owl cried "I was just taking a short break and was about to go back out."

"You know know don't like liars" Bloodbeak's talons digging into the owls wing as he said this "I generally kill whoever lies to me and I would kill someone who left there post if I had the decision but I don't so the parliament will have to decide what to do with your sorry excuse for a bird."

"Then the captain of the guards arrived. "What is going on here" he said.

"I caught this filth napping while on duty. I noticed he wasn't at his post and when I came down to investigate I found him here sleeping."

"Thank you I will deal with him you had all better get back to your posts we don't want to get attacked while you are all here."

Bloodbeak returned to his post feeling much less bored now. He knew it wouldn't last but it was worth it. At least something had happened.


	3. Chapter 3

It had been a month since he had arrived at the gahoole tree and had since been training for the search and rescue chaw. He had been working hard and was getting tired from doing his duty as a day guard in the day and doing chaw practice at night. He knew that he needed more sleep than he was getting but he had no choice. He had started to love the tree and very much wanted to stay and become a guardian. He was thinking about all this when he heard a scream coming from outside his hollow. He took off shooting out of his hollow and scanned for whoever could be in trouble. He saw a small owl beating its wings madly and had a expression on its face of absolute shock and horror. He quickly moved to intercept the owl flapping with fast hard strokes of his wings to get the most speed he could manage. He quickly pulled up along side the owl.

"What's going on what's the matter."

"Oh my, how, who could have, so much blood" the owl was stuttering.

By now at least five other owls had flown in next to them. He gestured to them to escort the owl to the infirmary. He flew off to where the owl had come from. He was getting a bad feeling about this and his instinct where telling him to get to whatever it was before something else did. He scanned the ground around where he had seen the owl come from and seeing something red in a bunch of thick grass. He dove down towards it. What he found shocked him. He was used to seeing blood from birds that he had killed so he could eat but this was shocking. What lay on the ground was what had been a owl. The wings where torn off the belly ripped open and it looked like something had eaten most of what was inside. He gagged at the stench. Then he noticed the head of the owl was on the ground put so it was facing whoever looked at the body. Thankfully the eyes where closed. He scanned the scene for anything else. He noticed that bloody feathers where everywhere and they appeared to have been torn off. He gave the alarm call of a peregrin falcon knowing that that should bring over owls who would know what to do. When the owls arrived at the scene they where shocked by what they saw. Very quickly a feeling of dread fell over the tree. The owls put the body on a vine stretcher with another one covering the top so no one could see the body. They put the body in a branch high enough off the ground but not so high the stench could reach the hollows above.

Bloodbeak was back in his hollow pacing all feeling of tiredness gone. He knew what that body looked like. It looked like a peregrin falcon had come killed the bird then eaten it. Except for the head, no falcon ever disrespected there prey like that it simply wasn't done. Peregrin's where noble birds who never disrespected there kill of another creature. They where like the direwolves he had read about that lived in beyond the beyond. They had a strict code that if you ever disrespected your prey you would be attacked and killed by every other member of your species that you came across. He however knew no other type of bird would kill like that. Especially not a owl, especially not these owls. Plus if any other Peregrin's had arrived or been spotted near the island he would know about it. Also when he thought about it when did a peregrin ever eat or remove the wings of his or her prey. In a battle they would certainly try to slice the opponents wings but never while eating and never slice off both. He had a lot to ponder.

Soren was with Pelli in there hollow the chicks had since moved to other hollows where they where staying with there friends they where studying to become guardians with. Soren had been reading up on peregrin falcons and there was no denying it it looked like that owl had been killed by one. It was impossible though that Bloodbeak could have killed the owl. He was to kind and noble for that. In the time he had known Bloodbeak they had become friends since Bloodbeak hadn't seemed to make friends with any of the other owls. He had been considering sending him out for a scouting mission to investigate rumors of a strange bird that sounded a lot like a peregrin. He didn't want to send out a owl because if anyone was going to be able to make contact with this bird it would be a fellow peregrin. Yes he decided it would be for the best to send him out if only to help remove any suspicions that it may have been Bloodbeak. Tomorrow he would have him go out once it was shortly after breaklight.


	4. Chapter 4

He knew he was in trouble when he heard cawing on his starboard side. He glanced over and sure enough there was a crow. He wasn't afraid of them normally but if there was more than three he would be in trouble. He sometimes even ate crow if he was hungry enough but normally he left them alone. He saw them then 2 crows coming up on him on both sides. He smiled to himself only two where was the challenge in that. He pretended not to notice them until he felt there wingbeats close behind him. That was close enough he thought and went into a dive. The crows tried to follow him but they where quickly left behind. He thmen looped up and proceeding to use his speed to go powering between them he slashed one across the wing then dived again catching the other one in outstretched talons. He dug in and making sure the bird was dead from the force of the impact he let it fall. The other crow who was now on the ground and tried to take off when he saw him coming down toward him. Bloodbeak pinned the bird down making sure he couldn't get away.

"Tell your friends that if they try to mob me again they will end up like your friend over there. Understand and don't even think about not doing it or else I will find you."

"Fine just let me go I will tell them just let me go."

Bloodbeak released him and took off himself. He knew he was not going to have to worry about the crows in this region for a long time.

He was approaching the area where that bird had been reported. He knew he was going to have trouble explaining to this bird if it was a peregrin why he was here. Normally since peregrin's where so solitary it may be a bit awkward to try and explain this. He started scanning for any sign of a strange bird. After a while he was getting hungry and decided to find something to eat. He was in silverveil and he heard from the owls this was one of the easiest places to find food. He did agree it was beautiful but most of the birds he would usually eat all seemed to be below the canopy of the trees. He flew down beneath the trees and started to look for a nest where a bird may be resting since it was midday. There in that little space where the branch joined the tree. He slowly flew up to it and trying to make as little noise as possible he landed in a clump of leaves just above the nest. He looked down. There was a bird in there a robin but it was sitting on a clutch of eggs so he left trying not to be noticed and frighten the bird. He wouldn't eat a bird that was taking care of chicks or in this case eggs. He flew off to find another bird.

Soren was worried. There was something wrong with the gahoole tree of late. There just seemed to be bad feeling in the air. It didn't help that the dead owl had been found in that horrible way. When he thought about it most of the bad feelings he was getting from his gizzard had started once the fact that Bloodbeak ate other birds. While at the tree he had been eating the same things as the owls albeit in bigger portions. Then there was that business with that day guard Bloodbeak had caught sleeping on the job. The owl had been punished by being dropped out of the day guards though he did continue his usual chaw practices. He knew Bloodbeak was a very smart bird and would not intentionally hurt anyone at the gahoole tree. He may not have a owl gizzard but he seemed to have a highly honed instincts and seemed most of the time what to do. He sighed, sometimes being king meant having to ask questions no one else would ask but how can one ask such heavy questions of a friend. He knew he had better ask the band what they thought. He knew Digger would know what was wrong with the tree. He always seemed to be able to put his talons on what was wrong. Then there was a crashing that came from somewhere below the hollow he was in.


	5. Chapter 5

**Two short chapters but they are being put up one after the other since I derped and forgot to put up ch 5 when I had finished it.**

He had grabbed the bird when it was rounding the trunk of a tree. He had pretty much given up trying to grab one because they just kept seeing him and sensing something was wrong usually just flew into the branches where he couldn't get to them. He was looking for a rabbit or maybe a rat so he could at least eat something when the pigeon rounded the trunk of the tree. He had jump on it sinking his talons into it and pinning it to the ground. Holding it down he waited for it to bleed out like he normally did. Usually when he dived on a bird the impact would kill it but if not peregrin's usually just had there prey bleed out. He took off with the bird in his talons since it was small enough and settled in a high branch. He started to tear into it since he was really hungry by now and he had to admit that while the owls food might be good it just didn't compare to raw bird. After devouring a sizable chunk of the bird he noticed another bird was watching him.

"You know it is not a good idea to disturb a falcon while he is eating" Bloodbeak said.

"Yes well to be fair it has been a long time since I have seen another peregrin and didn't think there would be any in this region."

"Well to be honest with you" Bloodbeak said still eating "I was sent to investigate reports of a strange bird in this region and apparently I have found her."

"Who sent you."

"A group of owls known as the guardians of gahoole. I have been with them for about a month or so and am quite enjoying staying with them."

"Yes I believe I have heard of them. Didn't they cause that stuff a few years back that our parents told us about."

"Yes that's them though they have gotten to be more peaceful now though I am having a feeling that might change."

Bloodbeak explained to her what had been going on at the tree and made sure to mention what had happened to the owl who had been murdered. She listened closely and was shocked by what had happened to the owl. By the time he finished relating his tale it was getting late and he was going to have to hurry to find a place to sleep for the night.

"You had better come to a tree I found to spend the night in it isn't much but when has that ever bothered us right."

"You know you never told me your name."

"Stormwing you can call me."

"Very well Stormwing lead the way."

The tree was indeed not the greatest for most birds but it was fine for a peregrin. They could easily scan what was going on while staying in fairly good shelter thanks to the thick branches. In one section of the tree they where intertwined good enough that you could lay down to sleep without having to worry about falling out. They each selected separate corners to sleep in since normally unless they where mates they would usually stay far enough away from one another to avoid crossing hunting grounds. It was rare for peregrin's to stay in such close proximity to another. They both went to sleep quickly because for different reasons they both had had a long day.

When Bloodbeak awoke he saw that Stormwing to had just woken up and was clearly about to leave to get breakfast. He climbed onto the edge of the branch with her.

"Come on lets see how good a flyer you are." She said taking off.

He took off right after her they soared through the skies wind whipping through there face feathers. They flew through the skies feeling like they where the emperor's of the skies. They where looking for a bird each to eat and where having trouble finding any birds at all which they both agreed was weird. Normally a beautiful forest lime this would be swarming with birds of all kinds. Then they saw some black wings below them. It was two crows. They both wield down into a dive at the same time aiming for separate birds they plunged there talons into them. Both the crows where killed instantly. They landed with the crows and began to eat. The crows should keep them full the rest of the day. Once they where done eating they heard the chuffing of wingbeats coming towards them.


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry this is a bit short but I just felt like throwing it up and thanks to** **Regna66 for liking. Also thanks for the 125 views. I cant believe how many I have gotten and thanks to the 45 people for looking at this.**

They both looked up and saw on the horizon a huge flock of crows flying overhead. The sky seemed to grow black and they quickly took cover under a bush using the dark feathers on there back to hide better for even they dare not take off. The crows where heading more or less in the direction of the cape glaux's.

"We have to warn the tree and we are going to be hard pressed to beat these crows" Bloodbeak said grimly.

"Indeed we had better go as soon as these crows are finished flying over then we are going to need to need a force to fight off this army of crows."

Once the crows finished flying over they took off heading towards the gahoole tree as fast they where able. Both thinking that only once before in history had crows gathered in such numbers without being lead by some external force. The last time it had happened devastation came across the land and a blackness of misery and pain had settled across the land. It was only through a great massing of eagles, falcons, and owls had they been defeated. But it had cost hundreds of lives and no one ever wanted to see this happen ever again. So they flew wings beating strong and true towards the great tree.

Soren was out flying over the sea during the day thinking when he heard a pair of wingbeats coming towards him. He looked to where they where coming from and saw Bloodbeak and another peregrin. They where both panting heavily and where clearly exhausted and almost at the limit of there energy. He flew towards them settling into a position next to Bloodbeak.

"There is no time to explain" Bloodbeak gasped "we must tell the owls to get there battleclaws on."

"Why" Soren said

"There is a huge flock of crows several hundred heading for cape glaux I believe it is called." Stormwing slightly less tired out since she was bigger said.

"Thank you so much for warning us we probably would have been attacked during the day catching most of us napping. I had better to get to the tree quickly will you be ok."

"Yes we will be fine" they both said.

Soren flew off going quickly to the tree. The peregrin's looked at each other and knew once they got in the tree they would collapse. Something that neither of them would happen had. There wings where tired and sore feeling like they would fall off at any moment. They started losing altitude as they came over the island. They came crashing into the main hollow barely able to keep going enough to drag themselves over so they where no longer on the edge of the opening, there chests where heaving. One of the day guards who saw them go crashing inside flew in to help. He called for a nest maid to come and help. When two arrived one bustled off to wake matron. The owls where getting up to the sounds of Soren's alarm. They started mustering in the main hollow as matron came in bringing the peregrin's cold milkberry tea.

"Bloodbeak this is the second time you have come in almost dead I do hope this won't happen again" Matron said.

"I try Matron it's not like I do this on purpose."

"Who are you" Matron asked to Stormwing.

"I am Stormwing a free flier." Bloodbeak looked at her in shock.


	7. Chapter 7

He was shocked. He hadn't met a free flier before. The free fliers where birds that wandered the world or settled down in one place and helped other birds no matter what the cost to themselves. He saw that from her expression on her face that she hadn't meant to say that. He wondered why and got his answer a moment later.

"I didn't want you to know that. We prefer for others not to know that we are because it can often get awkward. I really hope you don't start to treat me different now."

"Of course not I will never treat you any different if you don't want me to."

She nodded then drank down some water that Matron handed to her in a cup. By now most of the owls of the tree where in the hollow. Soren came in and it instantly got quiet when he settled on the main perch.

"We are being threatened by a threat this land has not seen since the beginning of history. Not nachmagan thank glaux it isn't. No we are being faced with a major threat in hundreds of crows which at this very moment are flying towards us. These ignoble and base birds have taken it upon themselves to threaten the world of owls in this most direct way possible. There is no time to reason with them so we must fight with all our strength against these birds. It was thanks to Bloodbeak who I know some of you have been suspecting of killing a fellow guardian as well as a new visitor to our tree who had no connection with our tree in anyway and still decided to help. Yes I called Bloodbeak a guardian for good reason he is now a guardian of gahoole and therefore has shall take the guardians oath once this bloody business is done. Now let us fly to confront these crows and win. We will be out numbered since I am only bringing three hundred of you on this mission the rest must stay and guard this tree."

There was a moment of silence as the realization of what he had said soaked in. Only three hundred, why was he being so rash they would be outnumbered three to one. He asked three hundred owls to volunteer and three hundred did. They set off at night hoping to catch the crows sleeping on the cape. The two peregrins flew with them knowing this would be dangerous but at the same time knowing no matter what destiny was in store for them they must go no matter what.

"Sir why only three hundred we will get slaughtered with this many."

"We will try to lead a group of them away from the tree. I know where we should go but it is going to a long fight as we draw them farther and farther away. We will draw them into the ice narrows where we shall use the fierce winds against them. The passage is narrow so they can only come at us a few at a time. Any that go to the gahoole tree should then be outnumbered."

"Thanks your majesty I like to know why I am on a suicide mission normally."

"Indeed I had better tell everyone else as well."

As Soren made his speech Bloodbeak flew near Stormwing. They looked at each other and saw in that moment the sadness and exhilaration they where both feeling. Sadness because so quickly after meeting they where both now flying off to war and exhilaration because they knew this was going to be a big battle. The various owl divisions had formed your each ready for battle. The ones that wielded fire had shocked the peregrins at first had there branches smoldering and ready to go into flames when the battle began. The peregrins flew next to each other in the lead and above everyone ready to dive on the first crow they came across. So they flew through the night to cape glaux to attack crows that where getting ready to wage a war that they had no idea was about to start.


	8. Chapter 8

This is the last chapter for this story. I am going to start work on the sequel to this one as soon as I am done putting this up. I already have the tea going since it helps me think. Sorry if the end is a bit rushed but I couldn't think of a good ending to this that makes sense other than like this. Anyway I may add some more to this story at a later date because the next story takes place a few years after this one so I may be able to add more. The last few chapters was to set up the sequel more or less. The reason I didn't put any more of the main characters aside from Soren was because in the sequel they wont be playing to big a part and this is Bloodbeaks and now Stormwings story.

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They began to dive. The crows where below them sleeping. The guards the crows had put out had been quickly killed before they could sound the alarm. Now the main force came in. Since the majority of the owls flew silently there was only a gentle sound of wing beats. Then they attacked launching themselves upon the enemy. The crows woke as there comrades who where attacked began to caw out in alarm. Bloodbeak and Stormwing each killed a crows that where right next to them. The crows recovering from the first attack started to take to the air. The guardians who had been left in the air started to dive down into the midst of the crows while the ones on the ground flew up flanking them. Soren then called a retreat since even though the crows where surrounded the guardians where still outnumbered and the crows had started pushing them back. They flew after Soren who was leading the way. The crows flew after them. If the plan worked all they had to do was lead them into the ice narrows and keep them from reaching the great tree. The owls flew like they never had before as the crows pursued them. Bloodbeak and Stormwing kept turning around and picked off the crows that kept flying faster than the others an had started to close. Now they just had to hope the second part of the plan had worked.

They where getting tired out. They had been flying as fast as possible with the crows behind them. The ice narrows where ahead. They flew into the middle of them then turned around. The crows came pouring into the narrows and started to attack them. Then came a caw of surprise from the crows at the rear. The guardians Soren had ordered to come in once the battle began in the ice narrows had outlandish the crows. Trapped in the harsh airspace the crows started getting more and more packed in to the point where they could barely flap there wings. Then Bloodbeak and Stormwing struck. They dived into the center of the crows mass and shot through it taking out two crows each on the way. They then turned around and went through the formation again before they could reform. The crows where so taken aback by this attack many tried to flee, only a few made it. The crows started to get slaughtered as they where pressed more and more into a blob in the middle of the ice narrows. The crows started to not be able to fly and started to plummet into the water. The smarter one's managed to fly under the battle just above the waves and escape.

The puffins who lived in the ice narrows watched all this. They didn't help even though they had during the final battle against Nyra. Soren after the battle had the guardians the bodies out so the fish that the puffins feed on wouldn't be affected. The battle ended in a slaughter of the crows. Bloodbeak was helping the wounded by helping to carry a vine hammock. He looked up watching Stormwing circling above watching any crows in case they decided to attack the wounded. She was beautiful and fierce. Her talons and beak like his where covered in the blood of the crows. They would have to get it off once they where back at the tree. The battle had been won but the guardians had suffered loses. He wondered why the crows had attacked the owls. They did mob them during the day but they never did direct attacks. Still he was happy he and Stormwing where alive and well. When he arrived at the tree they put the wounded in the infirmary and then he and Stormwing flew down to the beach. They landed next to the waves and went in to clean the blood off there bodies. They looked at each other when they got out of the water and laughed. There feathers where soaked and puffed up from the water causing them to look ridiculous. They both flew to the far side of the island and then back to the great tree as there feathers dried. They flew in and where escorted to the parliament hollow. Once inside they where instructed to wait as Soren took his place.

"You have both for demonstrating bravery and loyalty to the great tree are here by knighted guardians of gahoole and if you accept you shall take the oath here and now."

They looked at each other and nodded. "We accept."

They began repeating after Soren the oath of the guardian's and thus became guardians of gahoole.


End file.
